What to do if my dog's ears are itchy and something got inside?

They appear swollen and rough on the ear margins. Those are signs of an infection. You will need a prescription from the vet for medication to completely treat it. Until then the best thing is actually use an ear wash to keep it clean. I would not use Q tips anymore. But if you can get an ear cleaner from a pet store, just rinsing them daily will help dilute out the bacteria/yeast causing the problem and soften the edges to help. This will also help loosen up whatever is inside so every time he shakes, it will wash more debris out. It is best to wipe it with a clean tissue or cotton ball.

If you are noticing a lot of redness in the ears, the most common reason for scratching at them are infections, allergies to food/environment, or parasites like fleas or mites. To determine this, a veterinarian can obtain an ear swab to look for the presence of bacteria, yeast, inflammatory cells, or a mixture of everything. Usually an ear flush that is treated with something antimicrobial and anti inflammatory will help quite a bit. Some of these are over the counter while others are prescription only. You will also have to fit Mushy with an e-collar to prevent further itching during the healing process. He won't like it but it is for his own good! In terms of cleaning the ears, periodically you can use some q tips and an ear flush to wipe out the ears. You don't have to worry about puncturing the dogs ear drums since their ear canal is curved. You would have to be bending the q-tip to cause damage. There are several videos on Youtube on how to clean ears if you need to see someone do it first. Let me know if there is anything else that I can assist with.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Emmie! Unfortunately most ear drops that will do anything are prescription only. The most common reason, especially after grooming and ear hair plucking, for a red itchy ear is an ear infection. Ear infections are caused by an overgrowth of yeast and or bacteria. Emmie needs to see a Vet for an exam and for an ear cytology, this is when the vet looks at the ear discharge under the microscope to see the underlying cause. Ear flush and medicated ear drops are prescribed based on the organism seen under the microscope. If the ear is really painful and red then sometime steroids are prescribed. Below is a non-prescription ear cleaner that is antimicrobial you can try. Flush out the affected ear(s) every other day for 2 weeks. If the ear is not better or worsens she need to see a Vet. Good luck https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27361

Poor Buttons! Any pet can have an allergy to any product! I recommend to call your veterinarian and ask about an ear cleaner. Tell them what happened. You veterinarian may carry special ear cleaners that not only breaks up wax and oil (and thus remove it from her canal) but some even have topical steroids or antihistamines. If the irritation is severe, the veterinarian carry oral medications that can help significantly. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If the q-tip comes out black, then there is an excess of ear wax and likely an infection. The infection can be caused by bacteria, yeast, or even mites. Ear infections in dogs are very itchy, and often require prescription medications to help clear them quickly and manage the itch. The first step in treating an ear infection is breaking down the large chunks of wax and getting them out of the way so that medications can get to the surface of the ear. I like ear cleaners like Dechra Malacetic Ultra Otic that are antibacterial and antifungal. If you clean Remington's ears twice a day for a couple of days and he is still itching, he will need to go to the vet for prescription medications.

Poor Bowser! The only concern I have is that he may have something stuck deeper into the canal. You can try some Benadryl twice a day to see if this helps his itching. See link below. If not, I would have your vet take a look deeper into his ear canals to make sure nothing is stuck and there isn't an infection deeper. Your vet will also be able to start her on stronger allergy meds if needed. I hope this helps https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/#!

Fill Reggie's ear canal to over flowing and massage the base of the ear. Allow him to shake his head. I agree not to stick q-tips down in the ear where you can't see it. Just get out what you can with the cotton ball. This link will also help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-steps-to-clean-your-dog-s-ears-properly/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/ear-infections-otitis-externa-ear-cleaning-in-dogs/ I recommend to call you vet and ask about when Reggie can be examined. The reddness is likely indicating an infection that needs medication. An untreated infection can get worse and spread to the inner ear and it can be painful as well. I hope this helps!